Lorne tips summer tourist chaos

Page Tools

TOURISTS heading to Lorne this summer, including thousands of
visitors expected for the World Lifesaving Championships, will face
a construction zone disrupting local business, residents say.

The Lorne Community Association said the reconstruction of the
coastal village's pier was expected to start next month, having
been repeatedly pushed back since being announced in January
2004.

Association president Peter Spring said demolishing and
rebuilding the pier over summer would disrupt the town during its
peak tourism season and break a State Government pledge to finish
the work before the lifesaving titles in February.

Work had been due to start in May this year, but was postponed
after tenders exceeded the $2 million funding announced by
Environment Minister John Thwaites.

"The pier is an icon of Lorne and it is a focal point of
activity over summer. Is there any good reason the works couldn't
now be delayed until after Easter?," Mr Spring said.

"Seeing you are not going to finish it for the surf lifesaving
championships, why have a construction zone and disrupt business
and tourism during the busiest time of the year?"

Mr Thwaites' spokesman, Geoff Fraser, said the Government wanted
the pier built as quickly as was practical. However, the concerns
of local residents were being considered, as was the timing of the
project, he said.

The pier is home to a restaurant, an angling club and the
January pier-to-pub swim, which starts alongside the historic
landing. Former Surf Coast Shire mayor Henry Love said he had
resigned in protest from a pier advisory committee over the lack of
consultation by Department of Sustainability and Environment
management.

The committee had not heard from the department since March, he
said.

"There's lots of rumours going around about the plans but
communication is very, very poor," he said.

Mr Spring said residents understood the pier might be left
without emergency mooring, leaving no port between Queenscliff and
Apollo Bay.

Liberal MP Terry Mulder called on Mr Thwaites to delay the works
until February. He said Premier Steve Bracks had predicted Lorne
and Geelong would host nearly 6000 athletes and officials during
the two weeks of the championships.